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EVERY TIME I DIE
by Lisa Sharer
Photos by Jenn Alexander
From the November 2006 issue of PRICK Magazine
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 Every Time I Die (L-R) Keith Buckley, Mike Novak, Andy Williams, and Jordan Buckley |
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New York has offered some pretty amazing bands throughout the years, and this one just might be next in line. Every Time I Die, recently on tour with Atreyu and others, is making a name for itself, one city at a time.
After jumping on the 2006 Van's Warped Tour, the band spent another stretch in our neighboring Canada, and now they have been all across the country with one of the most infamous metal bands this year. This five-piece multi-faceted group (Keith Buckley on vocals, Andy Williams on guitar, Jordan Buckley on guitar, Keller Harbin on bass, and Mike Novak on drums) has hit a high point in their career, and they are looking forward to going even farther. Front man, Keith Buckley, sat down with PRICK to tell his feelings on life, love, and tattoos.
The band formed in 1998, in Buffalo, New York. There are three remaining original members, and the newer bassist that has recently joined the group. After signing with a Canadian label, ETID was quickly stolen by Ferret Music, and they have been recording with them for almost seven years. Even though this band may have seemed to appear suddenly, they are not the newbies that you might have imagined. "We really didn’t expect to be here eight, nine years later. It just got to the point where we didn’t know anything else," says Buckley.
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 Keith Buckley on vocals and Andy Williams on guitar |
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Although you may see them labeled as metal, ETID has a unique sound that can’t even be described by the lead singer. They're music, in general, is "a constant process of growing, retracting and expanding." Buckley was cautious to put their music in a specific genre, because of their ability to transform over time. "I think that was one thing that was good about us from the beginning. We never categorized ourselves, so we had the freedom and room to grow." The violent screams and fast, heavy guitar riffs of their current album Gutter Phenomenon, make it a prime choice for fans of rock, metal, punk, screamo, etc. Anyone that likes alternative music may find ETID to be a great addition to his or her collection.
Buckley is feeling comfortable with the band’s career at the moment. This is the most professional tour that they have played on, and that can only mean things have gotten better from their bar playing days. After constant touring, they are planning on hitting the studio to write and take a rest from the road. Buckley hopes that the new album will help to push them closer to their career goals. However, he is skeptical that the ever changing music culture can become a problem for current rockers. "Everything's changing so fast. You don't want to be redundant. You can try to keep up with the trends or you can completely discard the trends and try to do your own thing. I think that's the way we've been doing it the whole time, and hopefully that will still work for us. I don’t want to have to join an emo band, because I think that is the way to go now."
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 Jordan Buckley |
 Mike Novak on drums |
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Changing trends are not the only things that have him worried about the future. "It's funny because on this tour, it's just little girls. I mean seriously, little girls, and I can’t believe that those are the people dictating music right now. Those are the people that are making bands big. Just think of Jimi Hendrix and Led Zepplin, if they were dictated by 15 year old girls, they probably would have stopped. Back then you had people who actually liked music, and people that liked music were the majority. People that have good music taste with influence, it's just a dying breed. The thing is bands can still be good. But when they get a following of 15 year old girls they get discredited by a lot of people. They are called 'sell-outs,'" says Buckley. In summary, he hopes to continue to make good music that is liked by all, but it might not be possible with a hoard of pre-teens at your coattails. But with the talent streaming through these four, there is no doubt they will be playing for years to come.
All four members have some sort of ink on their bodies. They have everything from sentimental ("home is where the heart is") to silly (Burt Reynolds, Spock) tattoos. Buckley confesses that the tattoo world is a culture that he should know more about, but does not. "I think tattoos, in general, are great. I hate getting them, and I hate having them for more than five years. I thought they were sweet when I was sneaking into tattoo parlours with fake IDs. I was like sixteen and getting tattooed, I was the coolest kid on the block, and now I just look like an asshole." He's hoping to find that undiscovered product that will make tattoos last for a maximum of five years.
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 Keith Buckley |
 Andy Williams |
 Jordan Buckley |
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While Novak's tattoos are few, each one has particular meaning for him. Williams, who seems to have ink from head to toe, has tattoos because he likes animals, and tattoos that he decided to let friends do while he was intoxicated. Jordan Buckley has covered both arms in sleeves, but he didn't forget to leave space for his girlfriend's name on his wrist. Keith Buckley has tattoos inspired by random signs and pieces of art that were picked for the then-aesthetic aspect. This colorful group of men are a sight for sore eyes, and their tattoos are something to look at as well.
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 Keith Buckley |
 Andy Williams |
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